District 11 Big School Top 10: Week 7 to Week 8 Shifts
By: Brad Loff | Sportzwire | October 9, 2024 | Photo courtesy Brad Loff
The landscape of District 11 football continues to evolve as teams battle through the season. Week 8 brought about some important changes in the rankings, with shifts in the top spots and several teams making moves after key wins and losses.
1. Freedom Holds Firm at #1
Freedom continues its reign at the top, solidifying their #1 ranking with a strong victory over Freedom (24-3). Their defense was the backbone of their success, shutting down their opponent and showing why they deserve to stay at the summit.
2. Easton Surges to #2
Easton made a leap from #4 to #2 after a commanding win over Northampton (42-14). This impressive performance, combined with Liberty’s loss, propelled them into second place, and they’re looking more dangerous with each passing week.
3. Parkland Holds at #3
Parkland remains in the third spot after their convincing 56-6 victory over Pocono Mountain East. Their consistency and dominance on both sides of the ball have kept them among the elite teams in District 11, but they’ll need to keep performing to climb higher.
4. Liberty Drops to #4
Liberty suffered a tough 34-14 loss to Nazareth, dropping them from #2 to #4. The loss exposed some weaknesses, but with a talented roster, Liberty is still a team to watch moving forward as they look to bounce back.
5. Nazareth Climbs to #5
Nazareth’s victory over Liberty (34-14) was one of the key stories of the week, pushing them up from #8 to #5. Their offense, led by efficient play-calling and execution, was able to break down Liberty’s defense, and their defense held strong to secure the win.
6. Emmaus Drops to #6
Despite a 31-7 victory over Whitehall, Emmaus drops one spot from #5 to #6, mostly due to Nazareth’s surge after their big win. Emmaus remains a solid contender, but they will need more standout victories to climb back into the top 5.
7. Blue Mountain Drops to #7
Blue Mountain had a dominant 55-14 win over Lehighton, yet they drop one spot from #6 to #7. While the win was strong, the shake-ups above them in the rankings and the quality of other teams’ victories caused this slight drop.
8. Southern Lehigh Rises to #8
Southern Lehigh moves up from #9 to #8 after securing a 43-7 win against Tamaqua. Their solid offensive display coupled with strong defense helped them climb, as they continue to show their capability to compete with the top teams.
9. East Stroudsburg South Holds at #9
East Stroudsburg South remains steady at #9 following a close 37-7 victory over Stroudsburg. The win showed their ability to grind out victories, but they’ll need bigger wins if they want to break into the top 8.
10. Northampton Slides to #10
Northampton falls from #7 to #10 after a tough loss to Easton (42-14). While they remain in the top 10, their defeat leaves them needing to regroup and refocus if they hope to climb back into the upper echelon of District 11 football.
As we head into Week 8, it’s clear that each game has the potential to shake up the rankings further. Teams like Nazareth and Easton are making strong pushes, while others like Liberty and Northampton will be looking to rebound and regain their footing in the race.
